02/01/2026
The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM), founded by Walmart heiress and philanthropist Alice Walton, one of the world’s richest women, has officially opened in Bentonville, Arkansas, welcoming its first class of 48 medical students. The four-year MD program offers free tuition for its first five graduating classes and aims to train a new generation of physicians with a “whole-person” approach to healthcare. Its curriculum blends conventional medical training with a focus on preventive care, wellness, nutrition, arts, and humanistic practices to better prepare students to serve medically underserved and rural communities.
The school’s campus, a 154,000-square-foot facility designed to reflect its holistic philosophy, is integrated with nature and includes features such as healing gardens, outdoor classrooms, a rooftop park, and spaces that blur the line between interior and landscape. AWSOM’s proximity to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art enriches the curriculum by incorporating arts into medical education to enhance empathy and observational skills. The initiative is part of Walton’s broader vision to transform healthcare access and education in underserved regions.
